Elevator control mechanism



June 22, 1965 D. STURM ELEVATOR CONTROL rmcnmsm 2 sheetwsheet 1 Filed June 7, 1962 Lewis D. Sfurm mgvron. z wL MAM June 22, 1965 L. D. STURM 3,190,396

ELEVATOR CONTROL MECHANISM Filed June 7, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lewis D. Sfurm INVENTOR.

' elevator.

United States Patent 3,190,396 ELEVATOR CONTROL MECHANISM Lewis D. Elturm, 3529 NE. Broadway, Portland, Oreg. Filed June 7, 1962, Ser. No. 200,716 3 Claims. (Cl. 187-28) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in elevator control mechanism.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide elevator control mechanism which combines floor selector means, travel limit means, signal control means, and the like into a simplified and compact structure adapted for novel association with an elevator, and which, due to its compactness and novel association with the elevator is capable of being mounted in a readily accessible position.

' A more particular object is to provide elevator control mechanism including means movable linearly in reduced ratio relative to the travel of the elevator and which operates in such reduced ratio through a control box containing selector switches operable by said linearly movable means.

Another object is to provide an elevator control mechanism which employs a novel arrangement. of selector switches and mounting means therefor whereby the selector switches are conveniently adjustable for adjusting control functions of the elevator or signal means associated therewith.

Briefly stated, the present control mechanism employs a control box through which operates a selector bar operable in linear or longitudinal motion by a direct connection to the elevator. The connection between the elevator and the selector bar comprises a reduced ratio connection wherein the bar travels only a fraction of the distance traveled by the elevator. The selector bar carries switch operating means, and mounted in the path of said switch operating means in predetermined positions are switches which perform control or signal functions of the These switches are mounted for convenient adjustment along the longitudinal path of the selector bar to provide for predetermined location thereof to perform the desired control and indicating functions.

The manner in which the foregoing and other objects of the invention are accomplished will be apparent from the accompanying specification and claims considered together with the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary foreshortened elevational view showing the present control mechanism as associated with an elevator;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary and foreshortened elevational view of the control box through which the selector bar operates;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is .a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now in particular to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates an elevator car which, for purposes of illustration, may be driven by hydraulic ram means 12 operable by a pump 14. Although hydraulic lift means are illustrated, it is to be understood that other lift means such as overhead cable means may be employed since the present control is operated by vertical elevator travel. The elevator operates in a shaft formed by side walls 16.

The present control mechanism comprises a control box or panel 18 which, as apparent in FIGURE 1, has a removable cover plate 20. Secured interiorly of the box 13 adjacent its ends are guide blocks 22, FIGURES 2 and 3, suitable connection of these blocks to the control box being accomplished by screws 24. Blocks 22 have grooves 26 which slidably receive a weighted selector bar 28 of greater length than the control box. The selector bar is slidably retained in the grooves 26 by retaining plates 30 attached to the bars 22 by screws 32.

In a preferred arrangement the depth of grooves 26 is slightly less than the thickness of bar 28 whereby if desired the plates can be clamped securely against the selector bar to hold it stationary, as may be desirable when the control mechanism is being shipped or installed. Otherwise, to allow free slidable movement of the selector bar relative to the control panel, the screws 32 are merely loosened sufliciently to allow such free slidable movement.

Furthermore, to insure a free slidable connection between the bar 28, which preferably is steel, and the guide blocks 22, the latter are constructed of a softer metal such as brass.

Selector bar 28 is T-shaped, having a projecting leg 36 upon which is secured on opposite sides thereof a first pair of switch engaging members or cams 38 and 40 having beveled ends 42, FIGURE 2. These cams are securely attached to the selector bar leg 36 by screws 44. As best apparent in FIGURE 4, earns 38 and 40 are in substantially the same plane on opposite sides of the selector bar leg 36, and also carried on the said leg 36 but in a different plane is a pair of switch engaging members or cams 46 and 48. These latter cams are secured to the selector bar by screws 50 and similar to cams 46 and 58 have beveled ends 52.

The various cams on the selector bar are associated with microswitches some of which, designated by the numeral 54, are adapted for operation by the cams 38 and 40, and others of which, designated by the numeral 56, are adapted for operation by earns 46 and 48. These switches are of the type which have normally closed and open contacts and have a spring pressed arm 60 provided with an end roller 62 which when engaged by an associated cam on the selector bar causes the arm to be moved inwardly toward the switch to open the latter. FIGURE 4 clearly illustrates the cam 38 in engagement with a roller of a switch 54 to open the latter.

Means are provided for mounting the switches 56 in tandem relation closely adjacent the selector bar 28 for operation by the cams on the bar. Such mounting means comprises spacer support blocks 63 secured to the housing 18 as by screws 64 and integrally supporting a pair of elongated channel brackets 66 secured to the blocks 63 by screws 68. The outer edges of channel brackets 66 have inturned flange portions 70 for confinement interiorly of the channel bracket of a first clamp plate 72 for each switch which threadedly receives switch mounting screws 74 freely passing through suitable apertures in the switches 56. A second clamp plate 76 is associated with each, first clamp plate 72 and is suitably apertured to freely receive the screws 74. Clamp plates 76 abut against the outer flanged portions 70 of the channel brackets. The switches are securely mounted on the channel brackets 66 by tightening the screws 74 and furthermore may readily be adjusted along the channel brackets simply by loosening the screws 74 and sliding them to the desired position before tightening the screws.

The cams on the selector bar and the switches associated therewith perform various functions upon linear motion of the selector bar 28 in the control box 18. The selector bar is operated in such linear motion by the elevator through the medium of a reduced ratio connection with the latter whereby said bar travels only a fraction of the distance traveled by the elevator. The connection of the bar to the elevator is accomplished by a bracket 80 secured to the upper end of the bar by screws 81. Bracket 80 supports a pulley shaft 82 on which is mounted one or more pulleys 84. A second bracket 86 is secured integrally to a wall 16 of the elevator shaft and supports a pulley shaft 88 on which is mounted -one or more pulleys 9t). Secured to the elevator 19 is an arm 92 to which is attached one end of a cable 94 reeved about the pulleys 84 and 90 and attached at its other end to the bracket 8%}. By this relationship it is apparent that as the elevator moves upwardly the selector bar 28 also moves upwardly but at a reduced ratio determined by the number of pulleys.

Thus, with a rather high ratio of pulley arrangement, the selector bar may travel only inches while the elevator travels through one or more floors. By this arrangement, the control box 18 is of compact structure and all the parts are located close together for convenient installation, adjustment and maintenance. Also, due to the compact and simplified structure of the present control mechanism, the control box can readily be mounted in the elevator shaft as shown in FIGURE 1 and thus be readily accessible.

The various earns 38, 4t), 46 and 48 on the selector bar and switches 54 and 56 may perform any number of control functions in the operation of the elevator. For example, cam 38 and its associated switches 54 may control the up function of the elevator and the cam 46 and its associated switches 54 on that side may control the down function. That is, the cams 38 and 40 may control the floor selection wherein when a floor selector button on the elevator or on the floor is pushed, a circuit is set up with a respective one of the normally closed switches 54. Therefore, when the elevator is in motion and a cam 38 or 40 engages that particular switch which has been put in circuit, such cam opens the circuit to stop the elevator, the switches being spaced along the channel brackets to stop the elevator precisely flush with the desired floor. The cams 38 and 48 are of a length to maintain any floor selector switches 54 open after the selector bar has once engaged them in the direction of travel thereof.

Switches 56 are illustrated herein as control means for elevator signals such as floor signal lights or the like and are positioned selectively on the channel brackets to be engaged by the cams 46 and 48 at the proper time. If it is desired that switches 56 be located in positions other than in association with switches 54, they are mounted on spacer blocks, not shown, which position them opposite the outer cams 46 or 48.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown herein, it is to be understood that the invention may take other forms and that all such modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims which will occur to persons skilled in the art are included in the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Elevator control mechanism comprising a control box, a rigid selector bar disposed vertically in said box and projecting through the upper end thereof, said selector bar being weighted and having free suspended and slidable movement in said box, at least one elongated,

plate-like switch engaging member secured longitudinally on said selector bar and having a width dimension whereby to project laterally from said bar, ratio drive means connected to the upper end of said selector bar and adapted to be driven by an elevated car for raising said selector bar through a reduced distance relative to the distance travelled by the elevator car as the latter moves between floors, and a plurality of elevator car operating control switches mounted in a straight row in said control box and in the path of travel of said switch engaging member, said elevator car operating control switches being disposed in a selected spaced disposition for selectively operating an elevator, said switch engaging member being of greater length than the row of said switches whereby to engage all the latter in selected phases of operation.

2. Elevator control mechanism comprising a' control box, a rigid selector bar disposed vertically in said box and projecting through the upper end thereof, said selector bar comprising a base portion and a stem whereby to assume a T-shape in cross section, said selector bar being weighted and having free suspended and slidable movement in said box, an elongated plate-like switch engaging member secured longitudinally on each side of said stem and having a Width dimension whereby to project laterally from said stem, ratio drive means connected to the upper end of said selector bar and adapted to be driven by an elevator car for raising said selector bar through a reduced distance relative to the distance travelled by the elevator car as the latter moves between floors, and at least two rows of elevator car operating control switches mounted in straight rows in said control boX and disposed on opposite sides of said stern for engagement by respective switch engaging members, said elevator car operating control switches being disposed in a selected spaced disposition for selectively operating an elevator.

3. The elevator control mechanism of claim 1 wherein the control box includes means defining a groove for slidably receiving said selector bar, and releasable clamp means engageable between said control box and said selector bar for clamping said selector bar in a fixed position relative to said control box.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 471,100 3/92 Coyle 18729.1 693,184 2/02 Sundh 187-43 1,443,766 1/23 Smith 18729.31 1,896,541 2/33 Dunn l 87--31 2,306,816 12/ 42 Larson 187-28 2,758,675 8/56 Callaway 187-29 2,914,626 11/59 Weishew 200-47 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Examiner. 

1. ELEVATOR CONTROL MECHANISM COMPRISING A CONTROL BOX, A RIGID SELECTOR BAR DISPOSED VERTICALLY IN SAID BOX AND PROJECTING THROUGH THE UPPER END THEREOF, SAID SELECTOR BAR BEING WEIGHTED AND HAVING FREE SUSPENDED AND SLIDABLE MOVEMENT IN SAID BOX, AT LEAST ONE ELONGATED, PLATE-LIKE SWITCH ENGAGING MEMBER SECURED LONGITUDINALLY ON SAID SELECTOR BAR AND HAVING A WIDTH DIMENSION WHEREBY TO PROJECT LATERALLY FROM SAID BAR, ROTIO DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID SELECTOR BAR AND ADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN BY AN ELEVATED CAR FOR RAISING SAID SELECTOR BAR THROUGH A REDUCED DISTANCE RELATIVE TO THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY THE ELEVATOR CAR AS THE LATTER MOVES BETWEEN FLOORS, AND A PLURALITY OF ELEVATOR CAR OPERATING CONTROL SWITCHES MOUNTED IN A STRAIGHT ROW IN SAID CONTROL BOX AND IN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF SAID SWITCH ENGAGING MEMBER, SAID ELEVATOR CAR OPERATING CONTROL SWITCHES BEING DISPOSED IN A SELECTED SPACED DISPOSITION FOR SELECTIVELY OPERATING AN ELEVATOR, SAID SWITCH ENGAGING MEMBER BEING OF GREATER LENGTH THAN THE ROW OF SAID SWITCHES WHEREBY TO ENGAGE ALL OF THE LATTER IN SELECTED PHASES OF OPERATION. 